


The Power of Attraction

by KHLionWlfRdr



Series: FrostIron and HulkEye [1]
Category: ClintxBruce - Fandom, Frostiron - Fandom, The Avengers (2012), TonyxLoki - Fandom, hulkeye - Fandom
Genre: Avengers yaoi, M/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2013-06-05
Updated: 2013-06-05
Packaged: 2017-12-14 00:46:55
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 11,916
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/830756
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/KHLionWlfRdr/pseuds/KHLionWlfRdr
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>After the events of New York  Thor was badly injured after his bout with Loki who'd poisoned him with the small dagger during their fight atop Stark Tower. <br/>Thor finished the battle but fell into a coma afterward, leaving the intergalactic criminal Loki stuck on Earth with none other the Avengers who are far from done with him.<br/> Especially one Avenger in particular...Mr Tony Stark.<br/>Meanwhile Bruce Banner is learning what it means to be a part of a team.<br/>He knows that being the Hulk has always drawn people's eyes to him, but one of the members of his own team person in particular has had his eye on him for quite sometime, Clint Barton.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Frustration

**Chapter One- Frustration   
Rated PG-13**

**–S.H.I.E.L.D. Helicarrier- 7 Days after the Failed Chetauri Invasion- 1 PM- 30 Miles off Atlantic Shoreline**  
–  
The drone of the Helicarrier's massive propellers hummed outside as it hovered 35,000 feet above the dark blue waters below.  
Thankfully the interior had been soundproofed where repairs were needed after Hawkeye's attack on the craft.  
Those repairs, along with the damage the Hulk had created battling Thor and chasing Black Widow through its under-deck compartments, had been finished with enough efficiency to put even Tony Stark on edge. Though he still professed he could always do it better, orders on deck and the duties of the agents aboard, were returning to normal within its many steel and gray regions, the imminent threat of attack or invasion now over.  
 _To a certain extent..._   
For all the S.H.I.E.L.D agents and other varying staff aboard the carrier, the sounds emanating from its exterior were as audible as hummingbirds wings, faint but still a whisper.  
... but to Steve Rogers and Bruce Banner who stared at their prisoner with ardent contemplation, the sounds outside were quite audible.   
The prisoner Loki however, was silent...  
Bruce, still uncomfortable aboard the Helicarrier chewed his bottom lip as he studied the silent black haired man, wanting him to move or make at least make a snide remark about something.   
Almost willing Loki to do anything but just sit there slumped over his bed, staring at the illuminated white floor for endless hours.  
“ He's practically comatose. He hasn't said a word since we brought him here. This is a bad idea.” Bruce said as he crossed his arms.   
Steve Rogers, present physically but thoughts elsewhere nodded his head and shifted his weight from one leg to the other.   
“ Unfortunately, it doesn't matter if it's a bad idea or not. This is the only place that can hold him. For now.”  
Bruce shook his head as he pulled his glasses from his front pocket and wiped them before placing them on his face.   
“ Cause S.H.I.E.L.D has always been impeccable with its planning.” Bruce retorted.   
Just like before when they'd all been arguing together over Loki's intentions, it would seem that they were almost in the same spot.   
Whatever they'd planned Loki had been three steps ahead.   
He'd let himself been “captured” before, who was to say he wasn't doing it again with the Helicarrier and the other Avengers still in his cynical cross hairs?   
While Bruce peeved the situation, Steve eyed the computer monitors around him, displaying news, still surprised at, well; _everything._  
He was still beginning to understand the technology around him, the new languages, and the dress.   
Usually donning his conventional white blazer and khaki combo, Natasha had broken into both his and Banner's rooms, replacing their clothes were more updated “casual” ones.  
While the clothes assigned them wouldn't get them on the covers of any magazines, they at least didn't look like single bachelors from the early 90's.   
When the two confronted Fury about Natasha's reverse clothing raid, he simply replied it would help them _blend_ better and that it was an important, subtle way to remind the public that the war, including the invasion, was over.   
Whenever they'd made appearances of course.   
Bruce's response had been less apathetic than his own, but Steve considered it an order and made the best of his new wardrobe.   
Onscreen, images of post war torn Manhattan showed pictures of roads clogged with cranes, trucks, and yellow hatted construction workers.  
The streets and buildings that had almost all been condemned were still in significant disrepair for a number of blocks where the invasion had most taken place.  
Many people had evacuated the city, those that remained were trying to feel safe again in their homes and regain the confidence to go outside.   
_“..-and who could blame them?”_ Steve questioned to himself.  
Steve knew that as Captain America it was only a matter of time before he was called again to make an appearance to relieve any residual fears left from the alien invasion.   
He didn't mind the job, it was similar to what he'd done before he took an icy nap. _.. “ Be an icon..”_  
Bruce unlike Steve, preferred to remain off camera and out of the eyes of the public.   
Namely one individual in particular known the specialized department of the military known none other as General Ross who still viewed Banner as a monster and was determined to capture him by any means necessary, even after his disgraced super-serum failure which resulted in the introduction of _“The Abomination.”_  
Banner and had traveled hard and far to the most remote places of the world to get _off grid_ but according to Natasha's first finding of him, the only reason he had remained undetected for so long was because of S.H.I.E.L.D's running interference for him, staving away interested parties.  
Bruce had come to understand that for him, there was no where he could run where determined people wouldn't find him.  
Instead of running after the battle, he decided to called S.H.I.E.L.D home base and remain under their protection and stay with Tony in his tower.   
Unlike other people he'd worried about getting close to, Tony could handle himself and he could always handle the Hulk, should the event ever arise.   
Staying with Stark was the safest place in the world for him, so that's where he would stay. 

The door behind Steve and Bruce slid open revealing Natasha and Clint who smiled as they walked through the door.   
The pair looked as business-like as ever in their casual dark clothes their outfits hardly changing their exterior demeanor.  
They'd obviously just returned from some kind of formal meeting or event.  
As Natasha entered the chamber Bruce and Steve had been standing in, she looked up from the tablet nestled upon the bottom of her left forearm that had had _most_ of her attention.   
“ Alright guys, we're here to relieve you of duty. You'll be happy to know Stark said he is working on a new cell to hold yours truly.” she said gesturing to Loki who had all but tuned out everything going on outside his cell.   
“ Has he even eaten anything?” Bruce asked curious.  
Clint chucked at the open question as he began unfastening the tie that had been around his neck.   
“ Who cares if he eats? Who knows what he eats? He may not even _be human_.” Clint spit out, venom prominent in his voice.  
He had not enjoyed being manipulated by Loki, a pawn in his service, another instrument to be used against his allies in his quest for world conquest.   
He leaned against the wall, letting his angry eyes fall to the floor.   
Bruce scoffed _“What classifies as human theses days?”_ he whispered too low for Clint to hear.   
Steve heard the comment but provided no retort, for the thought had crossed his mind too in his mental processing upon meeting Thor, Banner, and Loki.   
He sighed exaggeratedly, crossing his arms as Bruce had still staring.  
“ Well, we need to make sure he eats otherwise he's no good to us. Unlike his brother who we're still trying to revive. We lose him then we'll have nothing and I don't think Earth is ready for anymore intergalactic visitors.”Natasha said as she walked over to the far end of the room to a side panel computer promptly turning off the news and bringing up current readings of Loki's body.  
She planted herself in a seat and leaned over the desk and pressed a call com button. “ Agent Romanov to chow hall. Bring a fresh plate of food up to holding Cell 6 please.” she requested.  
There was some chatter on the other end as the line clicked off.   
“... It doesn't matter how we feel about him.” she continued “ He's the only shot S.H.I.E.L.D, or the U.S., has at finding out if any more aliens are coming to Earth and how can we stop them before it's again too late.”  
Steve nodded not wanting to press the argument further but Bruce's thoughts on the situation were not so easily put off.  
Bruce walked over to the computer where Natasha sat, moving himself to her eye level. “ Are you sure this a good idea?” he asked lowly.  
Natasha turned only her eyes toward him. “ This is fine, it's all a part of plan to get Loki to Tony's new cell in New York.”  
Bruce scoffed rubbing his head frustrated. “ The more you people talk, the worse I feel. Why is that?”  
Clint laughed. “ Come doc, don't be like Steve.”  
“ What?” Steve inquired as he craned his neck toward them.  
Bruce turned his head about. “This doesn't feel like a deja vu to you guys? It doesn't matter, we shouldn't even be here.” he finished starting to pace the floor.  
Steve nodded brushing off Clint's jeer. “ Bruce is right. We need to be with Thor. Who is with him anyways?” he asked.  
“ Fury, Hill, and half of the world's finest scientists, including Reed Richards.” Clint repeated, apparently having been asked the question before one too many times.   
Bruce smiled. “ I know Richards. Good man. He and me go back a ways on the study of Gamma radiation.”   
“ How far back is that exactly?” Clint asked sarcastically grinning as he ran a hand through his hair.  
Bruce glared at him, returning to his spot next to Steve, who continued to eye Loki through the clear cell's screen.  
“ I wouldn't give him attitude just yet Barton, he's the doctor that's gonna be scanning your brain tomorrow.” Natasha added smugly.   
Bruce ignored the banter invite and planted his feet where he had been.  
“ We should go visit Thor. We should be there in case he wakes up soon.” Bruce said aloud leaning toward Steve.  
The door behind them buzzed and Natasha walked back over to the entry door which swiftly parted to the side where an agent stood with a plate of sliced meats, fruits, cheeses, and bread.  
Before Steve could reply, she intruded onto their conversation responding to Bruce's comment.  
“ Negative. When Thor wakes up, we may shock him. He's been out for a while and we don't know how he'll be when he comes to. It is for that reason we have Jane Porter to his bedside. Not that she didn't fight to get there on her own.”  
Steve ran a hand through his hair. “ I still think we should be _there_ if we aren't needed _here_.”  
Clint found himself another seat in a chair and plopped down, clinking his shiny black shoes unceremoniously on the computer panels edges.   
“ Don't worry Cap, we've got this. We're a team. We defeated the aliens, closed the portal to space, and caught the bad guy. Rest easy, things are looking up.”, he stated confidently.  
Natasha smacked Clint's boots to the floor, her facial expression looking more like an older sister reprimanding a somewhat old tolerable younger brother.  
“ I don't normally agree with relaxing, but I do in this moment. We've done our jobs and done them well. The immediate threat has been handled, now we just have to deal with the clean up. Things will get better. You can both relax now.”  
Steve rubbed his chin and Bruce followed suit a moment later. “ I'll relax when Loki's in chains with a tag or something in his mouth.” in a huff, Steve departed the room, plainly still uneasy about the whole situation but obviously needing to gather other thoughts together.   
Bruce eyed Clint and Natasha who just lingered in the silence Steve had left behind. “ He's right ya know?” he whispered, facing the slumping and distant Loki.  
Clint rolled his eyes, knotting his hands behind his head and leaning back. “Steve'll be fine and so will you and so will we!”  
Bruce eyed him slightly frustrated, “ Do you think this is a game?”  
Clint tilted his head slowly to the side.” Do you think this is work?”  
Natasha, still clasping the plate of food walked to the cell and exchanged the old rotting dish for a new one through the exchange window.   
Loki, held within, only flicked his eyes toward her, watching her as she slid the small portal closed behind her as left.   
His eyes didn't leave her as she brought a chair beside where Bruce stood and sat herself with a tablet in her arms.   
Loki smiled at the food she'd presented him.   
Natasha begun poking at her screen, noting things as they happened. “ You should eat something Loki.” she mentioned, never glancing up.  
Loki rubbed the side of his face.  
“ To what end?” he said facing her.   
“...- so interesting that they always send the beauty into the cave of the beast. What do you intend to do? Appeal to my better nature as before?”   
Natasha, eyes fastened to her screen responded in a monotone voice. “ No, we only want you to stay healthy enough for trial. Besides, we'd _hate_ to have to knock you out and feed you through tubes in your throat.”   
“ Speak for yourself Natasha.” Clint chimed from behind them.  
Bruce gulped, listening to the exchange. Loki was a clever fox and venomous snake all wrapped in sheep's clothing, the perfect storm of villain, cunning, intelligence, and evil.   
Natasha sighed aloud. “ All we are asking for is a little cooperation on your behalf, not ours. But if you can't comply, we can resort to other methods.”  
“ Other methods? Where's the sign up sheet?” Clint inquired sarcastically.   
Loki, amused no longer, retrieved the platter brought to him and began halfheartedly tasting the varied morsels.   
A vibration sounded in Bruce's pocket with Tony's image plastered as the caller I.D.   
He walked toward the cells entry to answer.   
“ Yes, if your species has proven anything in the events that have recently transpired, its that you are quite unpredictable and.. _versatile_.” Loki remarked.   
Bruce placed the phone to his ear. _“ Tony, what is it?”_   
“ Hey ya Hulkster. Has Little Boy Green eaten the grapes yet?”  
Bruce inverted his head looking behind him. “ No, but he's about to. Why?”  
“Oh no reason, I'm ah..flying one of my new planes under the Helicarrier now. Should be there in 2-ish minutes. You might wanna clear out.”  
Natasha pressed a button on her tablet as Loki popped off and swallowed the grapes one by one, chewing them delicately.   
As he swallowed the last one, his facial expression changed for a moment before he slumped over, completely unconscious.   
Bruce gripped the phone closer to his head. “ How did you kno-”  
“Little correspondence with Natasha. You should've figured that by now.”   
“ But how did you-”   
“ Bruce, jeez there's a sedative in the food. He should be out for a few hours, just so we can be safe as we move him.”  
Natasha pressed the power button on the tablet as Clint stood from the chair apparently also in on the plan and walked toward the cell entrance.   
“ Bruce do me a favor, I need you to get that cell emptied.. Christ, is it windy under the this thing.” Tony continued.  
“ Wait, you're flying? Like in your suit?” Tony laughed on the other end. “ Well no actually I saw Aladdin on Disney yesterday and I decided to build myself a magic carpet!”  
“Oh you are just hilarious.” Bruce sneered on the other end.   
“Ha! I know. Anyways I got laser links under the cell which will drop Mr. Sleepy Pants Prisoner in nice and easy.”  
“ Won't he wake up?”  
“ No no no. I'm gonna kinda carry him back to the tower. It's gonna work flawlessly cause I've perfected this whole sneaking thing. S.H.I.E.L.D. should really work on their firewalls and encryption codes.”  
“ Mmm I bet you're so good at that.” Bruce mocked.  
Behind him, Natasha and Clint had removed the bedding and other little furnishings Loki had in this cell.   
Once freed of any obstructions Natasha motioned for them to stand clear as the beneath them the flooring around Loki began to split and disappear.   
Tony, in his suit, flew through the hole in a dark gray armor and caught the knocked out Loki as he was about to fall into the awaiting mini Quin-jet hold a good few feet below.   
Tony peered at Bruce on the opposite side of the glass hovering. “ Was that a shot?”  
Bruce waved back at him with his phone. “ Could be. Guess.”  
“ You know, you're still living at my house right?”  
Bruce turned and waved. “ Oh that's right isn't it? Guess I'll see you at home roomie.”   
Clint smirked as Tony disappeared with Loki and the hole in the floor sealed.   
“ Is that where I'll be seeing you there Doctor Banner? The Tower? Clint asked”   
Bruce turned his head back as he exited the cell, “ Yes, I suppose that's where you'll find me.”  
“When tomorrow?” Clint asked as Bruce continued his attempted escape.  
“ Mmm I don't know I'll uhh call you.” he gestured waving his phone, and the man a monster inside him was gone.   
Clint stared a moment too long to where Bruce had been standing, half tempted to chase him.  
Natasha's voice snapped him back to reality. “ Why do you tease him like that?” she asked shaking her head smiling.  
Clint grinned. “ It's funny. We're dealing with all these _serious_ people.”  
Natasha opened up her table.” Well I know you aren't talking about Tony, and you should take a lesson from the _serious_ people. We've still got a job to do.”  
Clint nodded, dropping signs of humor. “ Right right, I knew that.”   
–

* * *


	2. Moving In

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Tensions arise between Loki and Stark deep below the streets of New York.  
> Clint decides to make his move on Bruce.

Chapter Two; Moving In  
Rated PG-13  
–  
Stark Tower- New York- Basement Level 5- Early Evening  
–  
Loki awoke dazed, his head spinning, feeling as almost drunk as Thor normally was after a large ceremony.   
Unlike Thor, who could drink kegs repeatedly without stopping in a single evening, Loki apparently had little alcohol tolerance.   
“ Oh there's our beautiful ball of sunshine.” he heard a voice quip smugly.   
That voice didn't belong to his brother, but he could sense the same arrogance booming within the same, if not more arrogant tone.“Stark?” Loki humored to himself as he pushed through the murkiness of waking up.   
He forced his body up, a blanket falling off his chest as he rose. He was clothed in a new tan shirt and tight dark green pants.  
He'd been cleaned and his hair was no longer disheveled.   
Someone had went to great lengths to make him more presentable. His eyes adjusted to the light and he attempted to discern his new surroundings.   
He could no longer hear the thrum of the Helicarrier's engines powering its large propellers and sound of air swirling beneath him. He'd obviously been moved. For what purpose he was bound to found out.  
“ Where am I?” he asked indignantly, his voice sleek and pointed.   
Tony looked at him from behind another clear cage wall clad in a dark blue long sleeved shirt and denim pants his arc reactor shining through the fabric.  
He smiled at him while fiddling with his own digital machinations. “ You're at my house. You like it?”  
Loki looked around him with question, his eyes still attempting to focus through the haze of his drug induced stupor.   
“ You were actually here a couple weeks ago,” Tony continued. “ It's where you spear headed your _little invasion_. But that's all been handled now right?” Tony smiled and returned to his digital cube.   
**“ For the most part Sir.”** an invisible voice responded.   
“ See, even Jarvis knows!” Tony proclaimed.  
Loki just continued to glare at him from the cell partly from anger, partly because his head was still swirling.  
“You hungry?” Tony asked sarcastically, still attending his cube. Loki pursed his lips, miffed at the receiving end of the completed stealth operation.   
“ I think I'll hold off for the moment. If you could spare some _untainted_ water though, I may not be so disagreeable.”  
Tony hummed to himself standing the cube disappearing from his hands as he parted. “ Don't worry I'll get you some _untainted_ water.”  
Tony disappeared behind a corner where he retrieved a pitcher of water and a plastic cup from a small refrigerator.   
He walked over to the small portal where Loki urged his stiff body over to meet him.   
They were both silent as Tony widened the receiving area so he could maneuver the entire thing through.   
Loki smiled at him as their eyes meet, that same confidence still present as he stared back into Tony's. “ Here ya go. Drink up buttercup.”  
Loki licked his lips as Tony pushed the tray through. “ You aren't worried I'll reach through?” Loki asked snidely.   
“ No. Try.” Loki stared at him unmoving as he timidly attempted to reach to where Tony was. In between the space, the area became almost magnetized resisting Loki's fingers, hand, and forearm.  
Having little strength, he tried for but a moment before recanting.   
Tony reached through taking the half empty glass Loki had set down and finished off the water, popping his lips together in staged appeasement.   
“ I programmed this baby with your energetic and genetic signature. Others like myself, can come in, but getting out, now that's going to be quite the problem for you, even with all your _powers_.” Tony mocked, fiddling all his fingers in a miniature dance in front of Loki's face emphasizing the last word.   
He returned the glass back to the Loki's side, staring at his expression the entire time.   
Loki chuckled, “ That's a neat trick.”  
“Thanks.” Tony said departing. **“ Sir Master Bruce is on his way down.”**   
Tony sighed, “ Excellent.”   
In moments the light of an elevator descended down and Bruce walked through the door, pushing a tray of equipment in front of him.  
His glasses gleamed off the green computer screen.   
“ Are you sure he's stabilized? I can't have any traces of anything in his blood.” Bruce asked as he walked down the hall toward the awaiting pair.   
Tony clasped his hands behind his back after rocking on his heels. “ I'm sure he'll be fine.”   
Bruce stopped the tray near beside Tony who was currently involved in a strong stare off against the Trickster.   
“ Alright, I just need to take a blood sample to start.” Bruce informed. .  
“Right. Give me your arm.” Tony requested as he walked in front of Loki's small portal..   
Loki's familiar smirk returned. “ Now what would you need that for?”   
Bruce eyed Tony who just continued to stare right back at Loki. “ Nothing nefarious if that's what you're thinking.” he clicked his tongue, tilting his head.   
Never breaking the visual war going on between them, Tony reached down, positioned the window in front of them and widened it so he could reach through.   
“ Your arm.”   
Tony's hand laid open and waiting.   
Loki looked down, blinked and looked back up.  
“ You'll need more protection than that I'm afraid.” Loki remarked.  
Tony grinned. “ Oh, don't worry about me. I'm well aware of the potency of your touch.”  
Lips tight, eyes glaring, Loki slowly gave his right forearm over to Tony who took it firmly in his grasp.   
Tony had the hands of a mechanic Loki noticed, the underside of his arms bare and his veins protruding prominently from his skin.  
There were little marks and scars that had healed but could still be seen, but those blemishes could not hide the muscles beneath.   
Any instant he expected their physical connection to wound him in some way, but as seconds ticked away there it was; Tony's hands cradling his forearm through the miniaturized portal with nary a whimper or cry.  
In fact there was nothing.   
Bruce produced a syringe, adjusted his spectacles and used a cleaning cloth atop one of Loki's veins.   
_“ There's absolutely no reaction? Interesting..”_ Loki thought to himself, careful to never shift his facial expression.   
Loki continued breathed as Bruce inserted the needle into his arm, never expressing any pain as he extracted what he needed.   
He would've paid the prick a little heed if he hadn't been so transfixed on the fact that Tony could _touch him._   
The pads of his hands were smooth, no doubt from handling all types of metals and heating agents and wearing anything that his gear required.  
 _“ Funny, I would've thought Stark a gruff man.”_  
Finished, Bruce removed the needle and placed it within another case.  
Eying the vial with great interest he smiled lightly to himself. “Great. I'll just leave you two to it then.”   
“ When are the others supposed to get here?” Tony asked never taking his eyes off Loki.   
Bruce took off his glasses and placed them in his front coat pocket.  
“ Not for some time. For the moment anyways as far as I know. Fury is still heading S.H.I.E.L.D in cleaning up some of the biggest of those huge flying alien beasts that have come to be called the _monoliths._ ”  
He sighed, pushing the tray back toward the elevator. “ Nope, for the moment that war criminal is all yours.” and with a ding, Bruce was gone with the elevator leaving Loki and Tony alone to finish their stare off.  
–

* * *

**Stark Tower- Laboratory 3- Level 16**  
–  
Bruce clicked his tongue as he felt the gravity of the elevator rush him up towards the lab Tony had given him.  
His job was to study Loki's blood, note differences and changes so he could deduce the information needed to hopefully come up with the proper bonding agent to resurrect Thor, who cellular structure was similar to humans, but different on the same note.   
As the doors parted and he pushed the cart through he continued humming a tune to himself.   
He pushed the cart to a work table where he took the vial and ejected a drop of Loki's blood upon a microscopic slide.   
**“ Would you like me to analyze the sample Master Bruce?”** Bruce jumped still getting used to Jarvis and his seeming to be everywhere in the tower.   
He calmed himself. “ That's fine Jarvis. Go ahead.”  
The microscope he'd been working disappeared into the worktable as Jarvis took the sample in.   
**“ Beginning analysis now. Estimated time to completion of data and diagnostics test, precisely one hour.”**  
Bruce sighed. “ Great, that's just fine. You'll let me know when it's done?”   
**“ Absolutely Sir.”**  
“Okay then.” Bruce patted the forefront of his jeans located himself to a another computer where he began working on genetic formulations between his blood and same DNA strands from members of the Fantastic Four, the only known people to have encountered enormous waves of Gamma Radiation and live with interesting results. With the exception of Victor Von Doom. 

In particular, one member known as Ben Grimm aka The Thing, was hoping Banner could locate the the unique strand in his own genetic coding that would allow him to transform back into a human as he himself did, while still retaining his mutant abilities.   
Bruce clacked away at the keyboard hearing the doors part once more behind him.  
“ Tony, would you help me with these gene pairing patterns?” He heard what sounded like someone removing their jacket.  
“ I would Bruce, but I'm not Tony.”   
He turned around to find Clint Barton smiling back at him with a black motorcycle helmet under his arm. “Oh Clint, it's you. Please don't sneak up on me like that.” Bruce stammered.   
Currently Clint was unzipping his jacket.  
“ Yeah huh. Now if I can hit whatever you're looking for with a good ol'fashioned bow, I can help you find it whatever it is you're looking for.”  
Bruce heartbeat steadied. “ No it's not, it's very complicated and precise, not to mention microscopically small.”   
Clint threw his jacket to the side, revealing a white shirt underneath. “Well my profession is pretty precise. I've got a good eye for finding these things, things no one else sees. They don't call me Hawkeye for nothing.”   
Bruce sucked in his bottom lip, slightly uneasy with how close Clint was, especially with the way he leaned over toward Bruce's computer screen from behind him with his strong arms around his body.   
Clint leaned down so his lips were near Bruce's ears. “ What exactly is it we're looking for?”   
Bruce pushed back from the chair, laughing nervously, his movements awkward as he stumbled into a standing position.   
He didn't want to be rude, Clint for some reason didn't understand the meaning of boundaries sometimes.  
 _”That or he was coming on to me...”_ Bruce considered, the thought flitting quickly across his mind.   
“ W-well, I mean since you're here we may as well get your scans done.” Bruce blurted out.  
Clint turned his body slowly toward Bruce in a smooth motion, greeting him with a cute, coy smile.   
Bruce couldn't help but check out Clint for a moment, trying to if anything figure out his intentions.  
After all they weren't scheduled to meet until tomorrow...  
“I'm all yours Banner.” Clint said, opening his arms up to his sides.   
Bruce nodded, jerking his chin up and down, trying to affirm himself that all was well.   
“..um follow me into the other lab.”  
Bruce skittered quickly to other room which most resembled a typical medical room found at almost any New York office.   
“Come in, sit on the table.”   
Clint did so with no argument, plopping himself the edge of the white leather table.   
He learned forward watching Bruce intently, knowing that Bruce knew he was observing him as he searched the drawers.  
Bruce found a tablet and placed it on the counter top he'd been hovering over.   
“ I just need to fin-..H-here it is.”  
He turned about with a slew of equipment. Clint stared at him plainly amused by Bruce's actions and nervousness.   
“ I um...need you to take off your shirt.” Clint's smiled widen. “ If that's what you need.”   
Bruce watched Clint's muscle's flex and be removed his white shirt.   
“ Okay, none of this is going to hurt” Bruce announced as he fitted Clint with a EKG headband, a few wired diagnostic diodes, and a finger clip.   
“ This shouldn't take too long.” Bruce finished as he reached for the tablet behind him.  
Bruce sat into the small swivel chair in front of Clint, all the readings linking up to Bruce's tablet. “ “Mk, now for a few questions. First, describe any sensations Loki's staff had initially on your body.”  
Clint shrugged his shoulders. “ I just remember feeling peace. One second I was going for his vital points 'cause he'd already taken out half the room. As soon as I turned to face him, that staff touched my chest. I thought for sure I'd be a goner. It would have been my fault for leaving my area open like that. I expected pain but what I got was relief.”   
Bruce nodded his head. “ What kind of “relief” was this feeling? Was it mental, emotional, physical, sensational?”  
Clint scoffed. “ All the above, wrapped into one wave of relief. I became addicted to that feeling. I knew in the back of my mind in order to keep that feeling of relief, I had to remain close to Loki. Close to that feeling that seemed to ripple from him in waves.”  
Bruce's fingers pecked at the tablet's screen. “ Did you ever have any thoughts of rebelling against him?”  
Clint nodded. “ Him yes. That stick or whatever, no. I knew what I was doing when I attacked the carrier, when he asked me to help him get the stuff to open the portal. But it wasn't for him, it was for the Cube. The Tesseract, like it was alive and needed me to obey.”  
Bruce eyed Clint's readings as he continued. “ Just like that? Total submission?” Bruce asked.   
Clint snapped his fingers. “ Complete submission.” he confirmed.   
Bruce's eyes became slits as he focused on Clint's feedback, on screen and as he talked.   
He stood from the chair, closing the tablet.   
Clint rubbed his hands together. “ So what now?”  
Bruce shook his head. “ I don't know, I've got to pinpoint some things, put the information in. All kinds of good things.”  
Clint shuffled his hair as Bruce removed the EKG headband. “ Sounds like you could use some help Banner.”   
Bruce smiled as he cleaned off the equipment and returned it to it's original place.   
“No, no. You'd have to be a skilled scie-...” Bruce began as Clint stood from the table.   
_But if he could help, it would save Bruce a lot of time...- and he did have a good eye..._  
He turned again. “ Um, do you really think you can help me?” he asked, a little more meekly than he intended.  
Clint prostrated himself confidently as he placed his shirt back on his body.. “ Course I can.”  
Bruce motioned for Clint to follow him to another back room down the hall.

As they entered the back room,Bruce extracted a USB from his pocket.   
He closed them door behind them forcing Clint to wait moments in the darkness without a clue of his plans.   
“ Bruce, what are doing in here?” Clint asked.  
“ Just one second.”   
Bruce inserted the USB into an awaiting port marked by a red LED marker by the door and walked through the dark to the center of the room where a blue light illuminated from the center and presented two separately 5 separate strands of DNA coils.   
“ Wow” Clint said amazed as the holograms slowly danced in front of him.   
“ Yeah's Tony's tech is pretty great.” Bruce responded, obviously too still impressed by Tony's continued technological progress.  
Bruce crossed his arms, tilting his body slightly as he stepped through the holographic DNA pillars.   
He pushed away 3 of the other strands which read Susan, Johnny, and Richard, leaving Bruce and Ben.   
The two remaining DNA strands remained hovering and swirling digitally in highlight blue, the complex building blocks of everything that made the two similar and different looming.   
Clint walked around the two strands which had highlighted certain “rungs” of the coded ladders in green and orange.   
Obviously it had been the altered portions of their DNA due to gamma exposure.   
Bruce stared at the pillars trying to figure how they differed and at which point.   
Clint walked up and pointed to a bridge hiding under one of the most lowest and inner rings of the DNA strand on Bruce's coil. When he looked closer, he found that each rung had thin addition bridge hiding next the column of the DNA.   
Ben Grim's showed no such hidden rung, it the key to his humanity.   
The gamma exposure he'd experienced for some reason hadn't reattached at the key point as everyone else's had.  
With the continued circular movement the rung was incredibly hard to pin point,being the same color as the main coil itself, made it even harder to discern.   
“ Right there.” Clint motioned with his finger..   
Bruce removed his glasses and rubbed his forehead.   
He couldn't believe it. In a manner of minutes, Clint had found the source to Bruce's continued problem and the cure to Ben's mutation.   
Overcome with happiness, Bruce ran up and took Clint in his arms swinging him about.  
“ I can't believe it! You did it! You actually found it!”   
Dropping him, he leaned into the coil more closely. “ It's been right there the entire time.”   
“ It was nothing.”Clint smiled, his left shoulder meeting his ear in smug denial  
.“ - the whole time, it's been... You actually did it.” “ -...right here.”   
“ Right in front of me.”  
“ Yeah I do cool things like that sometimes.” Clint declared, enjoying Bruce's praise.  
Bruce ran to the wall where he activated the lights and extracted the USB.  
The strands zapped into nonexistence as Clint shielded his eyes from the sudden brightness. “ This is huge! We've got to get this back! I've got so much data to process! And testing!”   
Clint shrugged. “ Speaking of tests, weren't you supposed to study mine too?”  
Bruce looked at him, not processing the purpose of Clint's entire visit for a second. “ Yeah what?”   
Clint pointed to his head with his index finger. “ You were supposed to test the data you collected from my brain or something?”  
Bruce raised his hands. “ Oh right right right!”   
He walked back to his computer. “ Jarvis what's the status on the blood sample from Loki?”   
**“ There are different elements present my databases are have trouble deciphering Sir. It may take a little longer than I originally estimated.”**  
Bruce reclined in his chair frustrated. “ I'm sorry Clint, I need the primary scanners to complete your tests. I also need one thing done before I start another. I don't feel comfortable doing it while Jarvis is busy and so's Tony.”  
Clint tilted his head bemused. “ It's alright, how about you and me step out?”   
Bruce looked at him confused, the comment catching him off guard. “ Isn't it late?” he asked.   
Clint grabbed his jacket. “ What are you 12? Who cares? We'll be back soon.”  
Bruce rubbed his neck. “How long is that analysis going to take Jarvis.”   
**“ A _while_ sir.”**  
Bruce patted the tops of his leg, fighting his off his apprehensions. “ I'll just get my coat.”   
Clint grinned. “I'll meet you at the door downstairs.”

* * *

**Stark Tower- New York- Basement Level 5-**  
Tony had watched Loki for hours, the whole time his blood just continued to boil.   
Loki did nothing and therefore gave Tony know excuse to reprimand him.   
Loki stared back at him, mute and undeterred. He was the first to break the deep silence between them.  
“ I know what your thinking you know? How can I be a monster? Is that it?” Loki jeered.   
Tony moved from his chair to the clear wall between them. “ I wasn't thinking that. You aren't even close to knowing what I'm thinking.”  
Loki rolled his head challenging him. “ Try me Stark.”  
Tony pressed his teeth together. “ How would I go about doing that?” Tony retorted, his voice flat.   
“ Everything you've done has a purpose. Does this? Are you so sure you don't know what I'm going to do next?”   
Loki's eyebrows furrowed and then relaxed. “ I am sorry Stark. I don't mean to be a pest, but it would seem it's all I know.”  
Tony saw the change in Loki's attitude as he let his head fall back against the wall.  
“ I know I'm boring you, I'm sorry I can't be more amusing to you locked behind this cell. I had the feeling you had more things planned for me.” Loki mused.  
Tony's hands tightened behind his back. He swallowed hard, his emotions, his endurance almost at it's end.  
“Do you need anything else or will you be alright for the night?” Tony asked curtly.  
Loki's eyes fluttered. “ I think I can manage Stark. There isn't anything I can do without you knowing I'm sure.”   
“ You're right.” Tony began, returning to his desk. “ I've collected a ton of things about you, researched about you.”  
“ Do I fascinate you so?” Loki cooed slowly.  
Tony's mouth parted, “ You do and that's why I have this.” From the drawers Tony had produced a large file and a small red book.   
Loki sat up impressed. “ Oh Tony... I don't know how to feel.” he said lowly.   
Tony gripped the files and the red book. “ Which one do you want?”  
Loki looked at him and pointed to the book. “ I'm surprised you like reading.... I wouldn't think a warrior like you would ever arrest yourself to the confines of library...”   
Tony smirked as he walked over the exchange portal. “ You don't know much about me Loki.”  
Loki grinned. “ Depending on how this goes, I think I'd like to.”  
Tony chuckled sarcastically. “ Little saying we have here on earth, never ask for more than you can handle.”   
Loki looked over the book as Tony departed from his cell.   
“ I'll leave some music on for you. Classical okay?” Tony asked as he disappeared into the awaiting elevator at the end of the hall.  
Loki watched as Tony left, his back to him.   
“ Sleep well oh-great-warrior Stark.” he whispered as the doors shut.  
He eyed the thick red book in his hand and retreated to his bed, the bindings of the page still warm where Tony's hands had gripped the pages tight.   
Loki closed his eyes and inhaled. _“ Oh Stark... what has become of you?”_  
-


	3. Collapsing

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Bruce decides to give Clint a chance and finds himself more relaxed around him than he thought he'd be.  
> Tony comes to terms with his feelings about, and for, Loki Laufeyson.

* * *

**  
Chapter Three; Collapsing  
** Rated; R 

**-Jefferson Street- Manhattan- 11 PM-**  
–  
Bruce smiled as Clint told him another story of his childhood. He hadn't expected to bond to Clint so well, but the more Clint talked, the more enthralled he became.  
“ Ya know, I never would've figured you as an acrobat.” Bruce said.  
Clint smiled as they continued to walk down the lightened street, wrapped in their light black coats as they sipped their coffees.  
“ Oh, yeah. I had a lot of fun freaking out my teachers the way I turned the jungle gym into my own personal agility ninja studio. Tell you one more thing though, none of the kids ever liked playing baseball with me...- Or dodgeball in high school.”  
Bruce leaned in as they walked. “ No you didn't!” he asked.  
Clint was all teeth. “ Oh yes I did. I always had a eye for tracking people. Which was interesting because I never took a lesson, I just looked and knew. Didn't matter how fast or slow or what angle, I could always make my mark.”  
Bruce smiled. “ Well I don't know if we would've been friends. I was totally the class geek all throughout school. Good grades, glasses, anything, you name it. Wasn't too skinny though.”  
The pair continued down one block into the next not really going anywhere, laughing and telling one another stories.  
“ Ya know Clint, I'm glad I'm came out tonight. Usually I don't go out cause I'm worried about stuff.”  
Clint just smiled back at him. “ It's not problem, I needed to get out and clear my head anyways. If I hadn't come over, I'd probably still be holed up either on the Helicarrier or in one of S.H.I.E.L.D's various safe houses alone. ”  
Bruce sipped at his coffee. “ I thought if anything you'd be with Natasha.”  
Clint finished what remained of his drink before answering. “ Well normally, I would but we need some time apart. We've been partners forever and I love her like a sister but this whole thing with Loki just-...”  
“ Wait..- like a sister?” Bruce interrupted. Clint stopped walking.  
“ Yeah, what you thought we were a _thing_?”  
Bruce looked at him like he was stupid. “ Well yeah! Duh! She's gorgeous!”  
Clint laughed. “ I know she is, right? But I couldn't do that with her, or to her. We've got too much history, besides she knows me intimately enough already.”  
Bruce looked at him, his head threatening to topple over the side of his shoulder he looked at Clint so hard. “ What does that mean?”  
One of Clint's eyebrows raised as he eyed the brown jacketed man in front of him. “ What do you think it means?”  
Bruce looked down and brought his hands together. “ I..- I don't know!”  
Clint motioned for them to continue walking. “ Look it just means we're partners and that's all we can ever be.”  
Bruce waited a moment before his legs allowed him to follow. “ Do you wish you guys could be, ya know, more?”  
Clint turned and looked at Bruce in all of his confusion and question. _“ Why don't you see what's right in front of you?”_  
“..no. Really I don't. I like what we have.”  
Bruce didn't want too openly admit it, but he was glad that Natasha and Clint were only partners, it made him happy.  
Relieved even.  
In front of them loomed a bar. “ Wanna stop in here?” Clint asked.  
Bruce smiled. “ Not really.” - he said looking seeing the flashing lights and heating the sounds of typical bar noise.  
Clint grinned and walked inside.  
Bruce smiled, inhaling deeply before following Clint inside.  
–  
Clint enjoyed Bruce's company and despite Bruce's apprehensions, he did wind up getting a little tipsy. Before Bruce or Clint could make a further ass of themselves in public, they lingered off into the night to make their way back to Stark Tower.  
–  
Bruce hung on Clint's shoulder as he attempted to justify that it was almost impossible for him to get drunk and obviously the bartender had misunderstood his order.  
“ Well you did start ordering things in Spanish. I think they were just making what you asked for.”  
Bruce laughed aloud at his own mental joke and stumbled to regain his balance. “ Watch Cupid, I'll burn all this off in 2 minutes. I've tested myself.”  
Clint scoffed at the nickname Bruce had bestowed him.. “ I'm sure you have.”  
Out of two adjacent allies four dark hooded figures with knives appeared in front of them.  
“ Drop the drunk and give us everything in your wallet now!” the lead member yelled.  
Clint smirked as Bruce hung practically limp on shoulder. “ Come on guys, really? You're going to do this right now?” he asked skeptically as if they were all old friends and it was some kind of played out prank.  
The men in black hoods in front of them didn't move, still brandishing their weapons in the street lights.  
Clint stood his ground and slowly leaned over leaving Bruce on his hands and knees.  
 _“Any moment now buddy would be great.”_  
Bruce grumbled as his stomach roiled over. “ Wh-what are you doing?” he asked still very much intoxicated.  
“ I'm just reaching behind my back to get my wallet and it's all yours.”  
The man was obviously edgy in front of him. “ What about his wallet?” he asked point his knife toward Bruce.  
Hands raised, Clint nodded and closed the gap between Bruce who was still mumbling something unintelligible.  
“Right.”  
Clint reached in Bruce's pocket and extracted the wallet, flinging both to the ground in front of him.  
“ Good! Now on your knees!”  
As Clint leaned forward one of the thugs behind him attempted to charge him.  
He waited for the strike as the man came up from behind him, grabbing his knife wielding arm, he flipped the man over this body and into the ground.  
The thug's knife flew free from his hand as his back impacted into the wet concrete below.  
The man's blade rebounded off the ground, whizzing by Bruce's cheek, drawing blood.  
Bruce, shocked out of his haze as the red liquid bubbled up.  
He touched his face and looked at his hand quivering.  
The first thug Clint had thrown over his shoulder rolled over and rushed to his feet, the other members jostling around him.  
Clint eyed the group, hearing Bruce begin to hyperventilate, he slowly backed away.  
He smiled at the other thugs in front of him. “ If I were you, I'd run.”  
“ Oh yeah, from what?” the leader jeered.  
Bruce stammered, his hand trembling in front of his face. “ Is that _my_ blood?”  
The hoodlums looked at one another unsure of how to proceed with their attack.  
Clint motioned in front of him.. “Why the Hulk of course.”  
One of the thugs bolted screaming behind for his comrades to follow. “ I ain't fighting no monster man!”  
One of them made a brave grab for the wallets still sprawled in the rain in front of them, a mistake he would come to regret as the tear of fabric sounded revealing a huge green beast with glowing eyes in front of him.  
Grinning, the Hulk punched the man into a nearby dumpster.  
The leader, the only one man enough to remain, attempted to charge Clint who was busy laughing at the man struggling to pull himself out of the construed metal.  
Clint dodge the first strike and the second, the attackers form rushed, overreaching, and generally sloppy.  
Turning around the Hulk picked the man up by his hooded shirt like an indignant puppy and punted him though the air a sizable few blocks away into the night.  
Clint winced as he heard a far off thud followed by a loud groan.  
“ Good job buddy.” Clint checked his watch. “ Guess you were right. Three minutes was all you needed to shake off the buzz.”  
Thunder sounded high above them as the first droplets began to come down.  
The Hulk grinned at him through the rain and took his massive body into the darkened alley in which the thugs had emerged as he attempted to calm down.  
“ Hulk like Cupid.” he heard the deep voice boom, followed by many deep breaths.  
Clint smiled and fetched their wallets, Bruce's glasses and his shoes.  
 _“ You're quite the amazing man Banner.”_ he thought happily to himself before knocking the thug out who'd still been struggling to free himself from his smelly prison.  
 _“ Quite the interesting man...”_  
–

* * *

**Stark Tower- Penthouse Suite- 1 AM**  
–  
Tony stood upon his balcony too tired to think, his mind wrapped around those fierce green eyes staring indignantly back at him.  
The night wind whispered by his ears and rustling his hair, the faint distance of airplanes thrumming their engines above the evening clouds.  
Thunder rolled within them and Tony could smell rain looming on the air.  
He couldn't get them out of his thoughts; _those emerald eyes_. He had no idea why he felt this way.  
Was it because Loki angered him, brought a war to Earth that had almost killed him? Taken him from his entire life?  
Almost cut his legacy short because of a dream that could never be realized?  
What was it?!  
Tony sipped the scotch he had been nursing to try to ease his mind into sleeping, but numbness continued to elude him and his mind wouldn't rest.  
He knew the answer to why he was so frustrated...  
Back in space when Tony had closed his eyes, the oxygen content from his suit depleted as he felt the pressures of space and gravity force and compress his lungs, when he had taken his what he thought would be his gasping last breath, he had seen those eyes.  
Those green eyes through some kind of blackness. _“ Not Pepper's face, not his mother's or his father's. Green eyes, brilliant as emerald gems against moonlight.”_  
He hadn't been able to get the thoughts out of his head since and he knew exactly who they belonged to now.  
He had thought the green eyes belonged to his new roommate Bruce, the one who had resurrected him back to the world of the living.  
He'd been wrong.  
The other secret Tony had been holding; he hadn't actually inoculated himself against Loki's touch as he'd claimed.  
 _“So why had he been able to touch him?”No one else could and there were plenty of people wanting to throw a few good punches his way._  
He'd been hoping for a reaction earlier, a flash of blue, a wince upon either of them, but there had been none.  
It'd been no different than when Loki had grabbed him and flung him out his penthouse window.  
Another question he could not answer.  
Tony didn't like being confused, he didn't like not being able to answer questions that should've been easily answered.  
He wanted to come right out and ask Loki why, but Loki wasn't interested in helping Tony solving his own issues, simply because it offered him now ulterior benefit.

Loki, it seemed wasn't interested in anything accept power, and that bothered Tony.  
Power had to be diverted somewhere, it couldn't just “be.”  
But as much Tony had thought Loki some kind of misdirected child, there had been more.  
More to himself and Loki, especially more to Loki...and it was difficult to decode.  
More than trying to solve any problem he'd previously encountered because it involved people.  
And it involved himself.  
Droplets of rain fell around Tony as he leaned upon the railing of his balcony. He stood away from it, raking a few drips of water out of his short dark hair.  
The patter of his bare feet against the marble floor echoed through the quiet suite. He didn't want any company, who would he talk to? No one would understand, people were at least reliable on that end; never being reliable.  
No one could ease his mind, no one could help him.  
He walked to his bar where he fixed himself another drink as he listened to the rain dance outside his window.  
 _“ There's one person who will talk to me.”_  
he thought as he downed a shot of vodka.  
 _“-... and I'll make him talk to me if I have to.”_  
–  
Loki scanned over the print on the pages in front of him mused at what the Midgardians had written about him in what was considered “lore”.  
It was an interesting, if only slightly accurate read.  
He leaned over the side of his cot and placed the book on the floor. Being Tony's prisoner certainly hadn't been as exciting as he thought it would've been.  
But Tony had been right when asking him _“ What did he expect when he came to Earth?”_  
There had certainly been something transfixing about him. “-.. in many, many ways.”  
Loki suddenly found himself thinking of Tony in different ways and he grinned devilishly to himself.  
To see a man of such standing break down, to push him past the point of no return.  
To ignite the fire in a calm man, it was a challenge Loki could see himself accomplishing.  
Though thinking of Tony, there was something that had been slightly off with the man when he had come to considering the way he'd stared at him.  
“And stare he did.”  
Loki was sure he was soon to atone for his crimes so he wondered; “ Why am I still here? What did that speckled oaf need my blood for? And what is Stark's problem?”

The sound the elevator arriving answered one of his questions, though his heart sank slightly when the doors parted and it was empty.  
Tony's voice called from a speaker in the corner of Loki's cell.  
“ I've deactivated the field that holds you, if you're awake get in the elevator. We need to talk.”  
There was a pause.  
“ You have 25 seconds to decide.”  
A click and Tony's voice was gone.  
Loki wondered if this was another trap, another clever ruse to extract something additional from him.  
On the other other hand, it was Tony he'd been thinking of. Obviously Tony also had some words for him.  
The feeling of necessary, and somewhat immediate, conversation was mutual between them.  
 _“That was what it would be, correct? Mere talk in the early hours of the night...”_  
Without hesitating or much thought, he found himself walking toward the elevator and watching the silver doors shut, taking him to confront its distant and awaiting master.  
–

* * *


	4. Surrender

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The heat gets turned up at Stark Tower.  
> Warning Rated NC-17  
> M/M and Avengers Yaoi

* * *

**Chapter Four; Surrender  
Rated NC-17   
Banner's Suite- Level 17-1 AM- Stark Tower **  
–  
“ Put me down” Bruce muttered held within Clint's arms. One of the downsides of being the Hulk while intoxicated is that 1; his powers didn't last long and 2; he had to contend with the hangover feeling quite quickly.   
Besides the lack of direction, balance, or comprehensible words, he now after transforming, had a lack of clothes.   
“ You can't walk and you're surprisingly light.” Clint scoffed amused.   
Bruce halfheartedly attempted to struggle from the hold, but any effect on Clint was lost, who just continued to stare at the elevator doors as they ascended through the levels and wear that smirk.  
The doors parted into a hallway with just one door. Upon walking out Jarvis sounded,   
**“ Shall I open the door for you Sir?”**  
“ That would helpful.” Clint answered.  
Clint breathed as he continued walking through the parting doors, the floor lights illuminating the path to as where the bedroom was located.   
Clint walked over and placed Bruce on the bed.   
Bruce smiled as he nestled into his nice cool sheets. “ I'll go find you some clothes unless you want to sleep naked.” Clint said discarding the remaining shredded fabric that had been Bruce's pants.  
Bruce rubbed his face into his pillow. “ I have some shorts in the closet over there.” he pointed lazily. Clint found his way to the closet and after a moment of rustling returned with a pair of shorts.   
He came to the bedside with the boxers clasped in his hands.“ Banner, flip over.”  
Bruce just giggled in the semi darkness, nuzzling himself deeper into his sheets. “ Banner if you don't flip over-..”  
Bruce wrapped an arm around Clint neck dragging him onto the bed teasingly. “ Bruce Bruce Bruce. Banner Banner Banner. Clint Clint Clint! Barton Barton Bart..-” he sang loudly.   
Clint placed his forearms on the rustled sheets as he attempted to upright himself over and around the virtually naked Bruce. “ Fine if you don't want clothes you at least need to give me back my jacket!”   
Bruce rolled into a ball, tucking the jacket around his body. “-..no!”  
Clint knelt on the bed, his hands on his thighs. “ Bruce? Give me my jacket.”  
Thunder clapped outside. Bruce rubbed his chin into the jacket. “ No! It's mine now.”  
Clint attempted to roll over Bruce, who clasped the black leather jacket tight to his abdomen.  
“ So tough.” Bruce giggled.  
Clint reached for the jacket attempting to pull the piece of clothing back toward his body, which also proved ineffective.   
After Clint remained still for a moment, Bruce turned his body about to see if Clint was still playing with him.  
“ Oh, I'm sorry. Did you want this?” Bruce asked rolling over holding the jacket over his torso smiling.   
Clint looked down at him through the darkness.   
Apprehensively, he placed his other arm over Bruce. “ Are you going to give it to me?” he whispered lowly leaning down.   
Bruce, only somewhat in his correct frame of mind, breathed out. “ Depends on how you ask.” he replied.  
Clint laughed, his heart threatened to take his voice. “ How should I ask?”  
Bruce grinned, wrapping his hand around the back of Clint's neck he pulled him down, their lips meeting.   
Clint let Bruce take control, still resisting but letting it take him as Bruce's other arm tugged at Clint's collar..   
Clint pulled back as they finished. “You're obviously drunk..what was that?” he asked.  
Bruce continued to smile, rolling over to face him, the jacket tucked in his arm. . “ That's how you ask..”   
Outside the window, rain began to pour in torrents.   
He wouldn't be leaving tonight so soon.  
Clint stood from the bed pulling off his shirt and kicking off his shoes. “ Then I've got a few more questions to ask you Mr. Banner.”   
Bruce smiled back at him as he dropped the jacket to the floor beside the bed. “Good..”   
–  
 **Stark Tower- Penthouse Suite- 1 AM**  
–  
Loki turned about, the doors parting behind him instead of in front of him as he'd expected.   
Outside the rain stormed, echoing into the high ceilings above.   
Lightning illuminated the interior of Tony's darkened living room for a moment, outlining Tony's frame leaning against the edge of the couch his hands rubbing tensely against one another.   
Loki stepped out the elevator, unsure of how to proceed. He looked about the room, noting the floor he had had all but pushed through by the Hulk.   
It had since been repaired.   
“ You called for me?” he asked apprehensively though his tone came out as if he was sure why he was here.   
Tony uncrossed his arms revealing the arc reactor, shining against his muscled chest.. “ I did...”   
Loki took another step forward as Tony pressed himself away from the couch. “ You..” he began point a finger at Loki. “.. you did something to me.”   
Loki gave him a confused look through the darkness. “ As much as I would like to claim credit, I cannot for that which I had nothing to do with.”  
Tony walked toward Loki. “ Oh, I'm sure it may not be something you intended but it happened.”   
Loki bowed his head forward staring at the dark marble floor beneath him as Tony closed the distance between them, stopping only a foot or so away.   
“ If I have had any lasting effect on you, I apologize.”   
Tony laughed. “ Lasting effect? You could call it that.”   
Tony closed the distance between them forcing Loki back against the elevator doors.   
Shocked by his abruptness, he produced the book in front of him. “ Here Stark.”  
Tony looked down at the red leather-bound book. “ I don't want that. I want answers.”   
He ripped the book from Loki's hands as thunder rumbled loudly in the background. Loki let the book be torn away from him.   
He shuddered as Tony's eyes seemed to gleam in the darkness.   
“ You want what I cannot give Stark.” Loki whispered.   
Tony blinked slowly. “ You can and will give me answers. Are you ready?” he asked leaning even closer .   
Loki pressed his back into the cold metal again.   
“ Question number one, what did you do to me?” Tony asked flatly.   
Loki fumbled over the shoes that had been given to him as he tried to shift his weight.  
He raised his hands in defense. “ I really don't know w-what you mean. Truly, I've nothing to hide from you, there would be no purpose.”  
Tony smirked, “ Yes, if there is a reason to anything you do it's because you always have a purpose, don't you?”  
Loki half attempted a smile.  
“ Yes Stark, everything I do is with purpose.”   
Tony grabbed one of Loki's wrist, pressing one high against the wall behind him.   
“ Tell me why I can touch you!” Tony inquired, his aggression surfacing.  
Loki looked at him. Tony was desperate, he was almost shaking.   
“ I know not the answer either. Believe me, my curiosity also piqued at the observation. I don't know how I can help you Stark. I don't know what you want me to say..” he replied.   
“ Now that sample Bruce took earlier, well he's already solved the answer to whatever poison you gave your brother, then after that, you're someone else's problem.”   
Loki could hear his heart thud in his chest as he eyed Tony's lips moving in the dark.  
“ Be still my heart...” Loki thought as he tried to regain composure.   
“ Stark.. I just don't know what you want me to tell you..I don't.” he repeated slowly.  
The the light drizzle of rain had increased to a downpour.   
Tony let his eyes fall to the floor.   
“ Loki, you don't understand and I think I finally do. _You are the answer._ ”   
Loki felt Tony's frame press against his as he forced him against the wall, Tony's other hand wrapping around his waist.   
“ But..” Loki began but cut short as Tony's lips met his, the electricity between them incinerating every thought that had been processing in the forefront of Loki's mind.   
A slight moan found it's way into Loki's throat as Tony's tongue parted his own lips.   
Loki shuddered, his own heart betraying his voice.. “Please Stark, this is..”  
Of course he'd wanted this, Tony had been who he wanted all along..  
“ This is right... it always has been.” Tony whispered seductively by his ear.  
Loki couldn't think of words, they wouldn't formulate in his mind.  
He was in every sense of the word _tongue tied._   
Tony pressed his own frame further into Loki's against the wall, wrapping one of his hands around the base of Loki's neck.  
He pulled Loki's dark hair back, exposing a sweet spot that Loki hadn't even known he had possessed.   
Tony's teeth nipped at the sensitive muscle hidden between the collar bone and the neck, driving Loki wild, moans erupting from his throat as he pulled Tony closer to him, the pleasure too intense for him to deny.  
Loki's inhibitions dissolved, he found himself slipping further and further into Tony's kiss and his arms. His own body all but collapsing as Tony's mouth found it's way from Loki's lips to his neck sending shivers down and throughout his spine.  
The lighting heightened behind them into an all out storm, the rain drowning out the groans as Tony drew Loki in closer, lifting him up and around his waist as he retreated them to his bed,.  
Loki allowed himself to be carried to Tony''s bed, their lips and arms tight around one another, never parting for an instant.  
Loki could hear his own heart over the roar of the thunder outside, the muted blue light from Tony's arc reactor, the only point of real color in the room as Tony laid him down on giant white bed..   
Tony lay above him, heat and power seeming to radiate from him.  
Loki looked upon him, the lust and need between them growing higher every second.  
 _He had to him in every way._  
Loki found himself aching for Tony in the same way, a feeling mutual between them they had long since denied since their first meeting.   
_There had always been something between them._

As Tony bestowed more love bites upon his body, Loki's cries muted only by a thunder clap, there was no covering the desire that pressed against the confines of his pants.   
Tony smiled as Loki's body melted into his hands, trembling as he engulfed his with own aura of sexual desire, the sounds Loki emitted inciting him to continue.   
Tony's other hand wrapped rubbed its way down his the middle of Loki's back arching him up, his fingers tracing their way into the inner lining of his pants, teasing his growing erection.   
Pushing him back with his knees, Tony pressed Loki back farther into the center of the bed, pulling down Loki's pants in the same instance.   
Loki wrapped his arms around Tony's neck as his teeth pressed harder into the spot that made Loki's senses erupt into a harmonious and overwhelming torrent of pleasure and pain.   
Loki whimpered, exciting Tony even more as he felt his own hard-on straining for release, aching for the sheath that only Loki held.   
Tony pulled down his own pants, his own body hot as pressed Loki farther back into the center of the bed, losing pieces of their clothes along the way.   
Their lips clashed again, their tongues danced leaving Loki gasping for air as Tony used his own pre-cum to lubricate a finger into Loki's awaiting hole.   
He slid in a finger slowly, feeling Loki jerk as he explored him.   
_“Are you ready?”_ Tony asked huskily.   
Loki only moaned in reply as Tony asked him again, his own erection throbbing for relief, his body craving Tony locked within him. _“ Tell me are you ready?”_ Tony asked again  
Before Loki could nodded or refute, Tony parted Loki's legs entering him. Tony mouth hung as he felt the clenched hotness surrounding him as he edged in from tip to base.   
Loki's body quivered, his mouth only produced breathe as he felt Tony flow deep inside him.  
Tony forced himself to move his hips slowly, easing Loki into the missionary position.  
Loki couldn't think straight, he tried recalling exactly how this had come to be as Tony lifted his legs around his body, driving him even harder over the edge.  
..-but the harder he tried to think, the more difficult it was to stifle his own screams as Tony increased his slow and deep tempo.   
He had lost track of time, the only thing he knew is that the sheets were wet with sweat beneath him and that all his senses were on fire.   
The storm outside continued to rage and Tony continued his relentless assault on Loki's body.   
Beneath the sheets, Loki had indeed unlocked the monster within the man.   
It had not been planned nor intended, but now that he was in his bed, Loki couldn't think of any place he would've rather have been.   
The few bits of information Loki could briefly comprehend disappeared as quickly as lightening in the thunderstorm outside.   
_Panting. Gripping. Screaming. Crying. Rushing. Needing. Relieving_.  
Loki trembled as Tony slowed his pace, his arms forcing Loki's legs over his shoulders to immerse himself even deeper within.   
Loki didn't attempt to protest, he needed to feel the pain, the pleasure, the intensity of feeling primal and raw passion.   
Tony could feel himself nearing, he was close and so was Loki but he needed more. He wrapped his arms around Loki as he pulled him atop him.  
The sheets beneath them soiled, their bodies marked with bruises of primal lust, Tony prepared to finish clutching Loki close to him, the sound of rain and lightening behind them.   
Tony could feel each strain of his hips as Loki crossed his legs atop of him and around his body.   
Loki could feel each brief extraction and the fullness of Tony as he reentered him.  
Loki was but raw feeling connecting to more raw power and he was so close.   
His pulse was electricity itself, threatening to explode as Tony roughly pushed himself deeper inside of him repeatedly.   
“Almost there Loki..” Tony breathed.   
Loki knelt his head over into Tony shoulders, pulling his legs tighter around Tony's waistline.   
“Don't pull out..please” he begged.   
Tony gripped Loki's hips tighter as he spilled inside him, holding him down. Loki came at the same time, his own member twitching as it covered both their chests.   
Loki panted, sighing as his heartbeat found rhythm again and his vision of white returned to darkness.  
He expected Tony to discard him to the side as soon as they had finished, but Tony's arms remained fastened around his waist and back as Tony slowly and somewhat reluctantly, retreated outside of him.   
Loki didn't attempt to open his eyes in the darkness, the sound of rain soothing the two of them into quiet peace.   
Morning would be soon to come and part them, nothing in all the nine realms would stop its rise, though Loki wished something would so could remained entwined with Tony.  
 _What was to become of them; This one night of weakness if it could've been called that?_  
Would Tony go back to his old life? To his old ways? Had he found the answer he had been looking for?  
Loki fell to the side of the bed and Tony released him.   
He laid there on the side as Tony continued to sit crossed legged beside him catching his breathe.   
Away from Tony's body, he was cold. Loki gripped his arms, sitting up.   
“ I think I should go back to my cell now.” He whispered. leaning out of the bed searching for his clothes. He was almost out of the bed when Tony's warm arms found him once again.   
“No... stay with me.” Tony continued to pull Loki closer to him.  
“ Stark..I don-”  
“ No, not Stark. Just Tony. Loki stared at Tony through the darkness as he brought him back into bed.   
They laid together than night, Loki's head nestled in the crook of Tony's arm.   
Loki laid there listening to Tony breathe, his own heart still resisting to return to rest. “ Tony?”  
He asked as they laid beneath the sheets.  
“ Yes?” he asked him. “..-what now?”  
Tony looked at him, kissing his forehead. “ I find a way to keep you...”  
Loki smiled, a genuine smile, his heart finally stilling.   
For so long he'd been lost, in Asgard, in space. Now he wasn't lost...  
Now he belonged...Tony shut his eyes as he let sleep take him. With Loki next to him, it was the best night of sleep he'd had in years.  
They both were finally complete.

* * *


End file.
